Reasons Why Resting More Can Boost Your Productivity

It’s a common work culture to “work more” and “earn more”. It’s generally believed that the more you work, the more you will be successful in your life. On the other hand, if you don’t “work hard”, you are simply not motivated enough to do better. Therefore, this has made many individuals give up on their sleep, enjoyment, as well as physical and mental health. However, it’s critical to keep in mind that your brain needs a healthy seven to eight hours of sleep to be focused and productive. If it’s the environment or bedding disrupting your good night’s sleep, you can always invest in a premium quality pillow case, noise-canceling earplugs, or an eye mask.

And if your poor quality sleep is contributing to you feeling sluggish, you should start incorporating “quality rest” in your routine. We’ve mentioned the reasons in this article why you should rest more, as opposed to the common belief of working more to boost your productivity. Read below!

1. Resting Can Help You Make Informed Decisions in the Long-Run

When your mind is not well-rested, you tend to make hasty decisions. You cannot focus on different things at a time. This can, therefore, lead to a wastage of all your hard work and time. You may make wrong decisions irrespective of the days or even weeks of your efforts.

For instance, even if you were working on an important task with your team, unintentionally taking such a step that leads to the wrong direction can demotivate and frustrate not only you but your team as well.

Hence, it’s essential to take short breaks during work, as this can allow you to take multiple things into account and whether they align with your long-term goals.

Taking rest between work can also help you analyze whether you are spending energy at the right place, are your strategies still consistent with your goals, or what needs to be done differently.

Only taking rests can facilitate you in reflecting on all your efforts, and this will, in return, make sure you stay on track while making the right decisions in the long run.

2. Minimizes the Symptoms of Burnout

Although you may believe that working more will only get lots of tasks done quickly in a day, it’s actually the opposite. The more you work without taking any rest in between; you will start feeling the symptoms of burnout, which will make you less productive.

The most common symptoms of burnout are fatigue, sleep deprivation, headaches, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and lack of creativity. Frustration, low commitment to your job, and a negative attitude towards your coworkers are also common.

Keeping the symptoms in mind, how do you think you can get any job done quickly without taking breaks?

Resting allows your mind to relax and helps it declutter so you can focus on your job better.

Therefore, you should make sure to keep an acceptable work-life balance. Making boundaries will help your mind be more productive. For example, if the workload is way too much for you, you should talk to your client or boss and ask them to either extend the deadline or delegate a part of the task to another employee.

Moreover, taking some time off, even during work hours, will help you get back on your job more efficiently and productively.

3. Resting Helps You Become More Productive

Whether you rest for an hour, a few days, or a week, resting can help you become more productive in your work life and your personal life.

With so much happening in your daily life, your brain needs some time to recharge and unwind itself. Resting gives your brain a break from all the chaos and jumbled-up information so that it can process all the information in your mind in a better way. This way, you declutter your brain to process additional information more efficiently without feeling the symptoms of burnout.

When your mind is completely recharged and refreshed, you will take less time to complete a particular task, which would have otherwise taken you several hours. Therefore, resting leads to nothing but productivity!

How to Ensure Resting is Effective for You?

For resting to be effective, you need to “reset” your mind and body simultaneously. Otherwise, it will not work, and you won’t be as productive as you want.

Journal or Meditate  

Your mind shouldn’t be wandering anywhere else when you rest. Therefore, it’s important to empty your mind of unwanted thoughts.

To achieve this, you should either journal or meditate right before sleeping.

Set Clear Boundaries

Whether you take a break for two hours or two days, you should protect your energy from getting affected by negativity. It could include anything from not answering unnecessary work-related calls to watching an emotionally-draining film.

Indulge in Healthy Food

If your body is well-nourished, it will be able to perform better. This is why you should prioritize healthy food over junk food.

Now you can definitely have your favorite dessert or fast food once a week, but you should regularly intake fresh fruits, veggies, and water.

Do What Makes You Happy

Making your soul happy will ensure you return to work as happy and productive as possible. Whether you want to watch your favorite rom-com movie during your rest period or you want to go shopping with your loved ones, do it without feeling guilty.

Don’t Compromise on Your Good Night’s Sleep

If you want to perform your best at work, maintain healthy relationships with your friends and family, and be surrounded with positive vibes from within, it’s vital to not compromise on your healthy seven to eight hours of sleep just for the sake of completing a task.

Otherwise, it will make you lag behind your deadlines even more.

Final Thoughts

If you are feeling tired or have trouble sleeping, it is important to take care of your body. The more rested and relaxed you are, the better chance you will feel motivated to tackle tasks with vigor rather than drag yourself through them.

Make sure you get enough sleep every night by setting a bedtime routine for yourself. You should also exercise regularly to release endorphins which will keep your mood high and improve motivation levels!

Do you know how to rest effectively?